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Nicodemus was, according to Christian tradition, a sympathizer of Jesus of Nazareth at Jerusalem.

< Meeting with Nicodemus -- Burial of Jesus -- Burial of Stephen >

Overview

Nicodemus appears only in the Gospel of John, where he is introduced as "a Pharisee... a leader of the Jews... a teacher of Israel." He is present in three episodes:

• First, he visited Jesus one night to listen to his teachings (John 3:1-21); see Meeting with Nicodemus.
• Then he defended Jesus when some high priests and Pharisees wanted to arrest him, by reminding them of the rights that the Law gives to the accused.
• Finally, he was the one who assisted Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the corpse of Jesus for burial, after the crucifixion; see Burial of Jesus.

Later Christian traditions would give him a role also in the Burial of Stephen, this time in association with Gamaliel.

While it is not impossible that there was a Pharisee who interviewed Jesus privately and who was persuaded by that conversation to become a follower of his, the lack of evidence makes difficult any assessment of the historicity of the character.

Susan Hylan writes: Some interpreters understand Nicodemus as a historical figure who lived either during the lifetime of Jesus or in the author’s community. Most scholars reject this approach, seeing Nicodemus as a representative figure who exhibits characteristics of certain people who come into contact with Jesus. Exactly which characteristics Nicodemus represents is disputed. (New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, s.v. 'Nicodemus').

Nicodemus, in ancient sources

Gospel of John

John 3:1-21 -- Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." 3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

John 7:43-51 -- [43] There was a division in the crowd because of [Jesus]. [44] Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. [45] Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why did you not arrest him?" [46] The police answered, "Never has anyone spoken like this!" [47] Then the Pharisees replied, "Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? [48] Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? [49] But this crowd, which does not know the law--they are accursed." [50] Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, [51] "Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?" [52] They replied, "Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee."

John 19:39-42 -- [38] ...Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. [39] Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. [40] They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. [41] Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. [42] And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Nicodemus, in visual arts

• See Nicodemus--art -- Nicodemus--literature -- Nicodemus--cinema

Nicodemus figures prominently in the Christian iconography of the Deposition in which he and Joseph of Arimathea are shown removing the dead Jesus of Nazareth from the cross, often with the aid of a ladder; see Burial of Jesus.

The Meeting with Nicodemus is less often depicted in traditional iconography.

Christian tradition identified Nicodemus as one of the "devout men" who buried Stephen; see Burial of Stephen.

Nicodemus, in the performing arts

In modern movies on Jesus of Nazareth, the episode of the meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus offers the opportunity for a cameo by renowned actors, such as Joseph Schildkraut in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965 Stevens), film, or Laurence Olivier in Jesus of Nazareth (1977 Zeffirelli), film.

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  Nicodemus (1894 Tissot), art

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  Joseph Schildkraut as Nicodemus in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965 Stevens), film

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  Laurence Olivier as Nicodemus in Jesus of Nazareth (1977 Zeffirelli), film

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  Diego Matamoros as Nicodemus in The Gospel of John (2003 Saville), film

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  Simon Kunz as Nicodemus in The Bible: The Epic Miniseries (2013), film

See: Meeting with Nicodemus -- Burial of Jesus -- Burial of Stephen

Related categories

• Jesus of Nazareth
• Joseph of Arimathea

External links

• Wikipedia

• Jewish Encyclopedia / Catholic Encyclopedia]